


Said Daryl Dixon, Probably

by ZombieGiraffes



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s05e03 Four Walls and a Roof, Gen, M/M, Slash if you squint, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-28
Updated: 2014-10-28
Packaged: 2018-02-23 01:19:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2528750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZombieGiraffes/pseuds/ZombieGiraffes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“The world needs Rick Grimes? Doesn’t sound like something Abraham would say. Now Daryl, him I can imagine saying that,”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Said Daryl Dixon, Probably

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this tumblr post: http://bean-about-town.tumblr.com/post/101119652843/rick-grimess-put-the-world-needs-rick-grimes
> 
> Which I reblogged, and then bean-about-town dared me to fit it into a fic. Which I didn't manage exactly, but hey, it's pretty close.

Rick spreads out Abraham’s map over the scruffy scrap of wood that may have once been a nice teak coffee table, and begins pouring over it. It’s too large a map to give them any real sense of their immediate area, but at least they can get an indication of how far between towns and supplies they are.

Carl leans over his shoulder, Judith balanced on his hip. He gives a soft huff of not-really-laughter, “The world needs Rick Grimes?” he reads out, and Judith gurgles along with him. Rick doesn’t really mind, if nothing else is the same in this world, at least his kids can make fun of him.

“You saying your Dad ain’t all that?” he says, and cuffs Carl lightly over the back of the head.

Carl gives another huff of laughter, which Judith mimics, “Nah, just doesn’t sound like something Abraham would say,”

Rick shrugs, “I think he was feeling sentimental about leaving,”

Carl smiles with one side of his mouth, not really listening, “Now Daryl, him I can imagine saying that,”

Rick snorts, “Ah yes, Daryl is known for his sentimentality,”

“He’ll have you write it on his grave,” 

Rick frowns at that, despite everything, still a little thrown off by the idea of joking about Daryl’s grave. 

“When you’re both old and grey,” Carl sing-songs at Judith, as if he can hear his dad’s thoughts. It’s such a ridiculous image, Daryl and Rick old and grey, that it actually makes Rick laugh.

That’s when Daryl walks in, balancing a tin and two plates on his arm, “You guys gonna eat?” He grunts, looking between the three of them smiling at each other, he hip-checks Carl lightly coaxing him out of the room, “Go on, Tyreese has ass-kicker’s bottle ready,” he says as he hands over a plate and fork to Rick.

Carl re-settles Judith on his hip and flashes Rick a smile before he leaves.

“You guys seem cheerful,” Daryl says when he’s gone, around a mouthful of squirrel and beans.

Rick taps the end of his fork against the map, “Carl is suggesting that we write this on your grave when we’re old and grey,”

Daryl leans over to read the line Rick is pointing at, and laughs low in his throat, “You’re plenty grey already,”

Rick chuckles at that and bumps his shoulder against Daryl’s, “Watch it,” he warns with a smile, before turning back to his food. 

They eat in silence for a minute or so, both looking over the map, trying to get a feel for their area, before Daryl speaks up again. “Not a bad idea otherwise,” he says, not looking up.

Rick hums in confusion, looking up at Daryl.

“The world does need Rick Grimes,” He says, almost solemn sounding, before looking up to meet Rick’s eye, “I know we do,”

Rick holds Daryl’s look for a moment, intense and serious, before looking away.

“The world needs Daryl Dixon too, y’know,” he says roughly, turning back to his food.

“The world don’t need men like me,” Daryl replies with a rough laugh.

“Well, I do,” Rick says, before Daryl has even closed his mouth. It comes out harsher than he means it to, but at least it gets Daryl to look at him.

He doesn’t say anything, just levels his intense look at Rick again, as if looking for the lie in his words. Rick meets his look with a frank, open one, letting Daryl see what he will.

Finally, Daryl makes a face that’s almost a smile, and seems satisfied. “Whatever you say, Rick,” he murmurs, and knocks his shoulder against Rick’s.

Rick just nods in satisfaction and says, “I’m glad we’re agreed,” and turns back to the map and his food, leaning his shoulder against Daryl.


End file.
